Friday, June 29, 2007

With grad school starting in about a month-and-a-half, I cant run from my my horrible horrible secret anymore. Actually, secrets.

Ive never taken a course in microbiology

Ive never taken a course in biochemistry

Some of you might already know these secrets, but I needed to say it out loud-- I need to start using my blog to learn some basic biochem before school starts.

Im not retarded! Its just that I managed to sneak out of taking micro and took virology instead (micro was a 200 level! virology was a 500 level, and FUN!), and I never had a chance to take biochem because it always filled up before I registered (small school, one biochem), but I got to take advanced eukaryotic genetics!

*sigh* I got street smarts. I gotta get book smarts. So I borrowed Boss Mans biochem book, and Im going to try to use my blog to help me learn! WHOOO!!! hehehehehehehe!

8 comments:

Ary Shalizi
said...

I've been following this blog for a while, but have never posted a comment... I just had to write in response to your secret. It's no big deal! Like you, I "learned my biochem on the streets" as a lab tech (also studying HIV). I had studied cognitive psych as an undergrad and didn't take biochem until after starting my PhD in molecular bio. I don't think it made a lick of difference compared to my classmates who had taken biochem as undergrads—I was even asked to TA one of the first year biochem courses during my second year. You should have nothing to worry about!

Street smarts should do fine in the short term. If they ask you to make up the coursework, do your best to take a course that your assistantship will pay for...that might mean shooting for a 400-level course. Look for something that will stimulate your brain and challenge you to think - chances are memorising the enzymes involved in glycolysis or purine synthesis aren't going to matter much to you. Look at the course, shop around, stand up for yourself. But, at the same time, don't waste too much effort on coursework. It's a hoop to jump through. Find a hoop that neither bores you to tears, nor that will consume all your time and brainpower, and never lose sight of what's really important: blogging! (your public needs you).

Eh thanks, guys :) Im probably imagining it will be worse than it will be, but I still want to be more prepared than I am. Like I couldnt even list all the amino acids right now, much less which ones are acidic, etc. We didnt have to memorize that stuff in advanced genetics. I feel way behind.

dean-- Oh Id love to meet Larry, but I the only people I have cursed with an open invitation to Oklahoma are Mooney, and now Nisbet :)